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A tonemaster twin has all the looks, same controls, fairly close enough tone, is affordable and has far lesser weight. For me, it became good enough when I became old enough not wanting to drag a heavy amp each week in/out the car...
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06-08-2022 11:24 AM
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I have a dolly that is permanently connected to my SF Twin, but I 'd still have to get it in and out of my four-door car (not that bad), or up stairs at gigs (can't do it alone anymore).
They got me BF Twins for some gigs I did with some singers, but my B-120 sounded like crap through them (and my SF), yet my $450 Parker import sounded like a 5K guitar. I'd do a trade/sell for my SF Twin, but it would have to be a local p/u.
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Quite the informative review of the amps. Always appreciated. I hope you can keep that knee from going to far South on you. You may want to try supplementation with MSM and also Glucosamine Sulfate/Chondroytin pills. Walmart's Spring Valley have sufficient quality. I have been using it for 27 years. I can still do a lot of what I used to be able to do. Some say Fish Oil also helps, and I started taking that, too. I can't say for sure if it does.
Originally Posted by wintermoon
Whatever you do, watch NSAIDs like Celebrex. They definitely work but unlike the ones I mentioned, the work by lessening pain from your pain receptors - and they do have side effects on your stomach and possibly your liver, long term. MSM and Glucosamine supposedly work by giving you more sulfur and trace minerals that our diets lack. MSM helps with the elasticity of your cartilage (making you more limber and less likely to get hurt when you first start moving) and the other gives you more fluid to lubricate your joints. I am almost 60, and other than a freak accident that tore up a joint, I can still lift heavy weights and do a lot of things.
So, good luck. NOTE: Doctor's often poo-poo these supplements, at least they used to. I think they have come around now, 30 years later.
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This is very good advice. The Tonemaster is a remarkable amp. Originally Posted by hotpepper01
Wintermoon, I hope you feel better soon. But the Twin Reverb is just not made for a lifetime of lugging.. it will last but we won’t!
Stay strong WM.
JD
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True dat! But it’s the perfect height and depth for me to sit on while playing. It’s a fine anchor for a small boat, and it’ll keep you warm in a cold studio. So when its traveling days are done, it remains quite useful. Originally Posted by Max405
All kidding aside, I sometimes wonder if the young players coming up now will need fewer joint replacements, back operations etc because their stuff is so much easier to carry around than ours was.
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No need to struggle. These lightweight, collapsible carts will do the trick. I hope this helps.
Marinero
Kemanner Lightweight Folding Hand Truck Portable Luggage Cart with Wheels & Bungee Cord for Personal, Moving, Travel and Shopping Use - Support 80lbs Capacity (Black
cost: $36.95
weight: 1.1 pounds
aluminum
There are many models/sizes available.
M
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I bought one of those a few years ago and used it until it fell apart, which didn’t take very long. They’re not really usable for amps and cabs over 10” or 25 pounds. The handle is weak & flimsy, and the locking buttons don’t work very well. The base is much too narrow for a standard (ie not wide) Boogie combo. It tipped onto its side when pulled over even a tiny irregularity in the ground, and the bungees are both “permanently” attached and marginally strong enough to hold my RE 10 cab with a small tube head (Vox NightTrain) on top. Originally Posted by Marinero
The good carts cost a lot more and are worth it. My first one was all metal with real wheels and wheel bearings. The base was big enough for a Twin, and it pulled very easily over cobblestones and train tracks. It also lasted about 15 years before a weld on the handle broke. You still get what you pay for, if you do your homework.
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I've been using a Remin Kart A Bag 800 for about 15 yrs after being gifted one. They're flat out the best cart I've seen.
They have a telescoping handle, 300 lb capacity and fold down to about 5" X 18" The bungee cords hold everything securely and they have a fold down dolly if you have a good distance to roll, it's effortless.
I can carry my Twin plus the milk crate I put it on during gigs and my equipment bag in the crate. Guitar in the other hand and only takes me 1 trip from the car.
They're pricey new but I can't say enough about them. Remin will even fix them if they need repair. I have 3 now after finding a couple for about $50 so if one needs repair I'm covered.
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Hi W and N,
I had the best deal for years with my young nephew who carried my Fender Piano Amp(46 lbs), Microphone stand, music stand, and cords while I pranced in with my guitar and music. However, I left Chi for warmer climes and haven't played since Covid so a new cart will be my first purchase but it will be something less than my friend Wintermoon's which looks like a launch pad for Space-X.
Marinero
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Don't knock it M, I've had them all, this cart's worth it's weight in gold. You can always get one of those flimsy ones that old ladies use to go food shopping Originally Posted by Marinero
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I use this simple style
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Those are OK if you add a couple bungee cords, but if you're hauling heavy equipment a couple city blocks it's nice to have the fold down dolly. Originally Posted by j4zz
I use this simple style
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Yep, I'd put a plastic craft box on the bottom, full of my leads, microphones, pedals etc, then pop the Roland Cube on top, and secure it all with bungee cords. I did in fact walk in a few blocks at times. It got awkward when I had to put a raincoat over it in wet weather Originally Posted by wintermoon
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Hi, W, Originally Posted by wintermoon
Don't knock it M, I've had them all, this cart's worth it's weight in gold. You can always get one of those flimsy ones that old ladies use to go food shopping
I'm not . . . just looking for some light humor. The last time I used a heavy amp was in the 70's. I try to keep things simple today but I certainly agree to buy the best you can afford. However, the cheaper ones still beat carrying a clumsy amp into a club/venue. As a side note, how many musicians factor their travel/gas//set up/sound test time into their pay for a gig? Even if you're playing locally as a solo, it can be significant and must be factored into your pay. That's why my minimum is $75.00 per hour. A union gig in my area pays $21.00 per hour. My first paid gig in Chicago in 1964 paid $25.00 per man for two sets. How's that for 60 years?
Marinero
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I haven't played a union gig in 20 years, so I may be out of date. But at least in Local 77, we always got paid a cartage fee for bringing an amp, a keyboard etc. We also got paid an additional fee (25%? I don't remember exactly how much it was) for doubling on a second instrument. I can't find my little union book with those details, but it's somewhere on my shelves. Originally Posted by Marinero
Union scale is just the minimum. I often got paid more than that, and one leader I worked for over a decade+ never paid me less then scale x 2. The summer of 1964, my trio made $300 / week for 10 weeks for a nightly 3 set gig (non-union - I was 17 at the time). These days, I get $200 for a 2 hour solo date at a local pub. And a 2 hour quintet gig last Monday night paid us $150 each. Blues gigs are still charity around here. Making $50 + tips for the night is a blessing in most of our dives.
As for "the cheaper ones still beat carrying a clumsy amp into a club/venue", that's only true if they're strong enough to get you from the curb to the stage without tipping over, letting a piece of equipment fall off, etc. From the day I got my first big amp (a Magnatone 4x12), I used a dolly that I made from shelving and 4 big casters. I held the amp to it with belts and used it until I got up the guts to drill into the amp and place removeable casters directly in the bottom. My B15-N came with a matching removeable dolly that had very good wheels.
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